March 26, 20264 min read

Crypto Tax Calculator — Estimate Your Tax on Crypto Gains in India

Calculate crypto tax liability under Indian law. Understand the 30% flat rate, 1% TDS, and how to report different types of crypto transactions.

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India's crypto tax framework, introduced in the 2022 Union Budget, is blunt and relatively clear: 30% tax on gains from virtual digital assets (VDAs), no deductions except cost of acquisition, and 1% TDS on transactions above ₹50,000. If you've been ignoring this, the ITR filing season is going to be an unwelcome surprise. The CalcHub Crypto Tax Calculator helps you estimate your tax liability before you file.

The Indian Crypto Tax Rules (as of March 2026)

RuleDetail
Tax rate on gains30% flat (Section 115BBH)
Deductions allowedOnly cost of acquisition
Loss set-offCannot set off crypto losses against other income
Loss carry-forwardCannot carry forward crypto losses to next year
TDS rate1% (Section 194S) on transactions > ₹50,000/year
GiftsTaxed as income if received from non-relatives
Mining/staking rewardsTaxed as income at slab rate when received
Tax rules can change. Always verify with a qualified CA and check current ITD guidance.

What Qualifies as a Taxable Event?

ActivityTaxable?Tax Treatment
Selling crypto for INRYes30% on profit
Crypto-to-crypto swapYes30% on each leg
NFT salesYes30% on gain
Staking rewards receivedYesSlab rate income at receipt
Mining rewards receivedYesSlab rate income at receipt
Crypto as salary/giftYesSlab rate income
HODLing (not selling)NoNo taxable event yet

How to Use the Calculator

  1. Enter each sell/swap transaction: asset, buy price, sell price, quantity, date
  2. Calculator computes gain per transaction
  3. Aggregates total gains for the financial year
  4. Applies 30% rate and shows estimated tax liability
  5. Shows TDS already deducted (to reduce final liability)

Example Calculation

TransactionAssetBuy PriceSell PriceQuantityGain
Sell BTCBitcoin₹30,00,000₹72,00,0000.1 BTC₹4,20,000
Swap ETH→SOLETH₹1,50,000₹2,80,0002 ETH₹2,60,000
Sell MATICPolygon₹50,000₹35,0005,000 MATIC−₹15,000 (loss)
Total gains: ₹6,80,000 (losses cannot offset gains under current rules) Tax @ 30%: ₹2,04,000 Less TDS already deducted by exchange: (say ₹7,000) Remaining tax payable: ₹1,97,000

The MATIC loss cannot reduce your tax bill — that's a feature unique to crypto taxation in India and one of the harshest aspects of the current framework.

The No Loss Set-Off Problem

Unlike equity (where short-term capital losses can set off against short-term gains), crypto losses cannot be offset against:


  • Other crypto gains in the same year

  • Income from any other source

  • Future years' gains


This makes crypto taxation unusually punishing — you can lose money overall on a portfolio and still owe tax on individual winning trades.

TDS Reconciliation

Your exchange deducts 1% TDS on crypto sales/swaps above ₹50,000. This appears in Form 26AS and AIS. Deduct this from your final computed tax liability — it's already paid, not additional tax. If total TDS exceeds tax liability, you can claim a refund in your ITR.


Do I need to report crypto even if I haven't sold?

Under current Indian tax guidance, unrealized gains (holdings you haven't sold) are not taxable. However, you may still be required to disclose crypto holdings in Schedule VDA in your ITR even if there are no transactions, as ITD has been expanding disclosure requirements. Check the latest ITR instructions each year.

What if I bought crypto before 2022 when there was no specific tax law?

Gains from crypto held before April 2022 and sold after are taxed under the current 30% regime. The cost of acquisition is your original purchase price. Pre-2022 purchases don't get special treatment — the 2022 budget rules apply to all VDA transactions from April 1, 2022 onward regardless of when the asset was acquired.

Is cryptocurrency classified as an asset or currency in India?

Under the Finance Act 2022, crypto and other VDAs are classified as property for tax purposes, not currency. This means transactions are subject to capital gains tax principles, not foreign exchange rules. RBI has separately maintained its opposition to crypto as legal tender — holding or trading crypto is legal, but it is not recognized as legal currency.


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